The Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival

A giant paper lantern is shown in Hainan, China, Aug. 27, 2013. The lantern, made of 72 smaller lanterns, was designed for the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. The festival represents a time each year when ghosts come out from the lower realm to visit the living. Worshippers prepare ritualistic food offerings and burn joss paper, a paper form of material items, for the ghost.

China Daily/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

A giant paper lantern is shown in Hainan, China, Aug. 27, 2013. The lantern, made of 72 smaller lanterns, was designed for the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. The festival represents a time each year when ghosts come out from the lower realm to visit the living. Worshippers prepare ritualistic food offerings and burn joss paper, a paper form of material items, for the ghost.

China Daily/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

A performer sings at a "Getai," Mandarin for song stage, in Singapore, Aug. 15, 2013. The song stages are set up in many neighborhoods during the "Hungry Ghost Festival," when spirits are believed to freely roam the earth. In 2013, the festival started on Aug. 7 and ends on Sept. 4 with traditional Chinese operas, puppet shows and concerts held by believers to appease roaming spirits.

Edgar Su/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

Paper replicas of servants that are believed to be used by ghosts after being burned are seen for sale for the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong, Aug. 20, 2013.

Tyrone Siu/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

People burn joss paper money next to food and incense offered to ghosts on a street during the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong, Aug. 21, 2013.

Tyrone Siu/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

A worker hangs up lanterns outside a temple during the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival in Chinatown in Singapore, Aug. 13, 2013.

Edgar Su/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

A man looks at a list of donors for the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong, Aug. 20, 2013.

Tyrone Siu/Reuters

The Hungry Ghost Festival

People burn incense on the beach during the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong, Aug. 25, 2013.